Blog
What I Learned Building My Own AI Marketing Tools
TL;DR: Custom AI marketing tools are surprisingly easy to build today. Finding the right place to deploy them inside a real business is the hard part. There are plenty of articles about the best AI marketing tools. Most of them are just lists of software. That is not...
The Difference Between Designing for Yourself vs. Designing for Clients
Designing something for yourself and designing something for a client are two completely different experiences. When I'm designing for myself, I have total creative freedom. I know exactly what I like. I can experiment with fonts, colors, layouts, and weird ideas...
AI for Small Business Marketing: What to Try First and What to Skip
TL;DR: Use Gemini to optimize your Google Business Profile. It is a free AI marketing tool and a simple place for local businesses to start. Most small business owners do not need another AI tool. They need to figure out where AI can actually improve the business....
A Few of My Favorite Fonts for Clean, Modern Website Design
If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that fonts can completely change the feel of a website. You can have a simple layout with minimal graphics, but if you pair it with the right typography, the entire design suddenly feels polished and professional....
Why Revisions Are Actually a Good Thing
When most people hear the word "revision," they think something went wrong. Maybe the design missed the mark, or maybe the client wasn't happy with the first draft. After years of building websites, I've learned that revisions are actually one of the most valuable...
Why I Compress Every Image Before Uploading It
One of the quickest ways to ruin a website’s performance is uploading massive, unoptimized images. It’s something I see all the time, especially on older websites or DIY-built sites. Someone uploads a giant 6000px image straight from their phone or camera, throws it...
What I’ve Learned from Designing for “Hard” Industry Websites
Some industries are just harder to design for. HVAC, plumbing, accounting, construction… they don’t exactly scream “creative freedom.” When I first started working on sites like these, I definitely felt it. It can be challenging trying to make something look clean and...
Why Mobile Design Is No Longer Optional
There was a time when websites were built almost entirely for desktop. You’d sit at your computer, open a browser, and that was the main way people interacted with websites. Mobile was more of an afterthought (if it was considered at all). That’s not the world we live...
10 Things That Can Absolutely Ruin a Website
I’ve seen a lot of websites over the years. Some are beautiful, some are functional but boring, and some are just straight up bad. There are certain things that will instantly kill a user’s experience, no matter how “cool” the design might look. Some of these overlap,...
SEO Case Study: How We Added $100K+ in Profit to Bullseye Bail Bonds
Bullseye Bail Bonds is a clear example of what happens when a local service business upgrades its online foundation. Before working with GreyDot Marketing, Bullseye relied heavily on jailhouse advertising placements and had no real website presence. Their “website”...
The Best Way to Advertise a Small Business in 2026 (What Actually Works)
The best way to advertise a small business in 2026 is simple to understand but easy to get wrong. Most owners do not want complicated marketing theories. They want steady customers, clear steps, and advertising they can trust. At GreyDot Marketing, we believe good...
How I Stay Organized While Managing Multiple Design Projects
When I’m juggling multiple design projects at the same time, staying organized is the only thing keeping everything from turning into chaos. Between deadlines, client feedback, and creative work, things can spiral quickly if there isn’t a solid system in place. I’ve...
Where I Go for Website Design Inspiration
When I’m starting a new website, one of the first things I do is look for inspiration. Not in a copy-and-paste way, but more in a “how can I piece this together in a way that makes sense for this project?” way. Over the years, I’ve realized that I don’t need a dozen...
The Most Underrated Features of a Great Website
When people think about great web design, they usually picture stunning visuals, bold colors, or fancy animations. And while those things can definitely make a site stand out, they’re not what actually make it great. The real magic often comes from the small,...
2025 Meta Advertising Wrap-Up: Why Creative Is the New Optimization
If you’ve read our earlier post about the Meta Pro Media Buyer Certification, you already know how much we value the fundamentals: proper campaign structure, clear objectives, strong measurement, and rigorous testing. Those principles still matter, but this year...
What I Wish Clients Knew About the Web Design Process
Web design is one of those fields that looks easy from the outside. You see a polished homepage and think, “That probably took a few hours.” But behind the scenes, there's so much more that goes into building a professional, functional, and fast website. There's...
AEO Is Just Good SEO — Don’t Fall for the Hype
The New Buzzword: AEO Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) has become the latest shiny object in the marketing world. With AI-driven search tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity on the rise, people are saying businesses need to rethink their entire SEO...
How I Manage Client Work Without the Chaos
Managing multiple client projects at once can get overwhelming if there isn’t a clear system in place. Between deadlines, constant emails, and last-minute requests, it is easy for things to get messy. Over time, I’ve developed a workflow that keeps everything...
Why I Ditched Other Web Hosts and Switched to SiteGround
Over the years, I’ve worked with more hosting providers than I can count. GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, even a few random ones clients already had set up. At first, I thought hosting was just hosting. As long as the site was online, what difference could it really...
Why Your Local Business Isn’t Showing Up on Google (And How to Fix It)
Imagine searching your business name on Google… and nothing shows up. No map listing, no website, no reviews, just silence. If that’s happened to you, you’re not alone. Local service businesses run into this problem all the time. The good news? It’s fixable. Here’s a...
Why Your Google Ads Aren’t Converting (Even with a Great Click-Through Rate)
You’re getting the clicks. That part’s working. But if those visitors aren’t turning into leads or customers, the problem isn’t your ad copy. It’s your landing page. Let’s break down why. People Don’t Read Websites. They Scan Them. When someone lands on your site,...
The Challenges of Designing for Accessibility (and Why It Matters)
Accessibility is one of those things in web design that's easy to overlook, especially in the early days. When I first started building websites, I didn’t give it much thought. I was focused on the layout, colors, fonts, etc. Over time I’ve come to understand just how...
The Truth About AI Automation for Businesses
If hearing the phrase “AI automation” makes you roll your eyes, I don’t blame you. It’s become one of those things like “synergy” or “revolutionary software.” Everyone says they offer it, but most of what’s out there is just a few prompts duct-taped together in a...
How I Approach a Blank Canvas (Starting a New Website Design)
Starting a brand new website from scratch can feel both exciting and a little intimidating. The possibilities are endless... which is kind of the problem. When there’s no structure, no content, and no visual direction yet, it’s easy to feel stuck staring at that blank...
Meta’s Pro Media Buyer Certification: Key Takeaways from a Facebook Advertising Agency
As a Facebook advertising agency, it is our duty to make sure we are staying up to date with all the changes Meta is making, especially when it comes to Meta Advertising. Things are changing on a daily basis on the platform and in Meta Ads Manager. If you or your...
Most Common Web Design Myths (And Why They’re Wrong)
I’ve heard a lot of wild assumptions about web design, some from clients, some from people outside the industry. These myths might seem harmless at first, but they can really get in the way of a successful project or a good client-designer relationship. I’m busting...
The Truth About Google Advertising Agencies
What to Know Before You Waste Your Budget Hiring a Google advertising agency can feel like online dating. Everyone says they're "data-driven" or "ROI-obsessed," The truth? Behind all that, marketing jargon is often a mess. You might end up with someone ghosting your...
5 Chrome Add-Ons I Use As a Web Designer
Google Chrome has no shortage of extensions, but only a handful have earned a permanent spot in my browser. Below are some add-ons I find myself using again and again. They’re incredibly useful for web designers, developers, and really anyone who works in the digital...
Blending SEO & PPC for Sustainable Traffic
Fast Wins & Long-Term Growth Ever feel like marketing your business is a bit like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle? Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but it can certainly feel like you're doing a million things at once. One minute you're told to...
Why DIY Website Builders Can Only Take You So Far
I’ll admit it, I have a STRONG dislike for Squarespace. I’ve tried using it, and every time I find myself frustrated by how clunky and restrictive it feels. Basic options are buried in menus, customization is painfully limited, and don’t even get me started on...
Red Flags to Watch Out for in Web Design Clients
Over the years, I’ve worked with some amazing clients—people who value my time, respect my expertise, and trust me to bring their vision to life. But I’ve also had my fair share of nightmare clients. You know the type: the ones who expect top-tier work for pennies,...
SEO in 2025: My Roadmap to Helping Your Business Get Found on Google
I’ve seen the digital world shift dramatically over the years, and as we head into 2025, I’m excited about the new SEO opportunities that await. Today, I want to share practical strategies that have worked for me and can help your business get found on Google. If...
Converting Clicks to Customers: A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Paid Ads
Let’s talk about something every small business owner has tried (or at least thought about trying): paid advertising. When done right, it can skyrocket sales and turn casual browsers into loyal customers. When done wrong, it feels like you’re throwing money into a...
How Stepping Back Can Improve Your Web Designs
Web design is often seen as a solo, creative pursuit—a designer tucked away in their workspace, crafting something beautiful and functional. While there’s some truth to that image, I’ve learned that the best websites are rarely the product of a single mind....
3 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Building Websites
When I first started building websites, I made a lot of mistakes that, looking back, could have been avoided with a little more guidance. The truth is, there’s a learning curve to creating a site that’s both visually appealing and functional. If I could go back and...
3 Key Steps to Make Sure Your Paid Ads Don’t Suck!
Let’s be honest: there’s nothing more disappointing than putting time, effort, and money into a paid ad campaign only to watch it fall flat. Paid ads can be incredibly powerful when done right, but the truth is, most ads fail because the basics aren’t nailed down. If...
My (and Others’) Biggest Pet Peeves on Websites
As someone who is deeply invested in web design, I spend a lot of time browsing sites for inspiration and research. We all know that a great website can draw us in, but a bad one? It’s enough to make you want to throw your laptop out the window (figuratively, of...
“Hello World”
I remember the first time I saw those simple words living on the internet as a result of my coding skills. Not that it required much skills at that point, but it was a strangely powerful feeling to be able to open a text editor and within a few keystrokes you could...